1. First, besides for a little less computer time, the main reason I'm taking a bit of a break this week is to sew up some new items for my Etsy shop. Heather over at Blessed Little Nest will be hosting a giveaway by moi on Friday so I need to focus on filling up the shop as much as I can. I have a few cute things to add that I hope you enjoy.
2. We are hitting our summer list hard and heavy and have checked off a few things already. Remember, Taylor's break started at the end of May, and she starts Kindergarten in early August, so we have a few precious weeks left. Yesterday we spent 10 hours at Knott's Berry Farm. Yes, you heard me right, 10 hours. I love Knott's for kids. Camp Snoopy has the perfect mix of rides for little guys like my Syd, and there's plenty of mini-roller coaster type rides for Taylor's age. There are hardly ever any lines and the rides are straightforward and simple. Am I the only one that thinks most of the childrens rides at Disneyland are freaky and scary? Sure Knott's isn't all sparkly and shiny-new like Disneyland, but for the price and adventure you can't beat it. Here's my favorite picture of the day. This is Taylor mid-air on the dragon swing. Anyone else remember this awesome ride at Knott's? In all my years of going there, this is still one of my favorites (as well as Montezuma's Revenge).
3. Did you know that I write and photograph for Chartreuse's blog? Chartreuse is a local home furnishings and accessories store and the prices and items are incredible. Wendy the Owner and Allison the Manager are so accommodating and give stellar customer service. Not to mention they have fab taste. If you can hop on over to their blog and say hi. And may I suggest you become a follower? Psst...Little inside tip: They are going to do a giveaway at the end of the month and you have to be a follower to enter to win.
4. I wanted to ask, what do you all think about Comments and whether you think it's important that the blogger respond or acknowledge the comment in some form or fashion? I try to respond to each comment personally by email, but a lot of commenters don't have an email address attached to their blog profile, so then I try to search their blog for an email address and sometimes I end up empty handed. So then I try to leave a comment in the comments section but I find that they often don't go back and check.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that i like to acknowledge comments because I always appreciate it when a blogger acknowledges my comments. I have actually stopped commenting on some blogs where there was zero communication exchanges at all. So do you guys even care about this sort of thing or am I the only one that is sensitive in this way?
5. Finally, we are out of diapers over here. I will spare you all the sordid details, but just wanted to say that sometimes children (i.e., boys) need to be pushed into things. My Syd is a perfect example. I kept waiting and waiting for him to be ready, but I think he was just ready for me to tell him he was ready. After 1 week accident free, I can officially throw out the damn diapers!
Alright friends. back to life. Sewing, working and reading (The Help) is keeping me occupied. I hope you have wonderful things occupying your time right now as well.
Just a quick HI, Andrea! We haven't been to Knott's but is sounds so fun. I think Nathan would love it.
ReplyDeleteMy book club read "The Help" in April. I really liked it, and missed the characters when I finished. I made the caramel cake icing off of the author's website to take to book club (along with your creme brule french toast), and it was delish!
i'm with you on the commenting. i blog because i like the connections i make. i try to keep the correspondence going by checking the persons blog that left a message and commenting on one of their posts. if no blog then i try email. it's hard because we are all busy with families and such, but i try the best i can to connect.
ReplyDeletehave you read blogging for bliss? awesome fast read from an amazing blogger. highly recommend it. she touches on just this sort of thing.
have a happy week! can't wait til friday.
gotta run,
peace out girl scout.
Love your post.
ReplyDeleteTo answer your question on my blog, that little tub full of sponges is an antique Chinese washing tub, so I thought it would be cool to have it in the laundry room. I got it from Wisteria, thinking it was bigger than it was, saved it in a closet till the perfect moment.
As far as comments on my blog, I feel just like you do, with one exception. I do try to answer comments, but I've felt discouraged when their emails aren't listed or whatever. My problem is how long it takes to read all the blogs I love, comment on them, and still answer all the comments on my own blog. It gets involved. I'm trying to find a happy medium, still with no success.
And congrats on the diapers. Lucky you.
Yes, the comment thing is tricky. If someone comments on my blog, I read their blog and leave a comment. I see that as a way of connecting.
ReplyDeleteP.S. As a mom of 3 boys, I agree that sometimes you just have to give it a push when it comes to saying good-bye to diapers!
I love the picture of Taylor! So great!
ReplyDeleteAnd congrats on no diapers (i think...).
love you.
The fact that some bloggers personally respond to all of their commentors is fairly new info to me. I couldn't believe it when I heard it. Personally, I never respond. I don't know how, and I didn't think anyone was waiting for a response. I certainly never expect a response when I comment on a blog. Then again, if it's someone new, or I haven't stopped by her blog lately, I do pop over to her blog and give a little hello. Is that what you mean? Either way, I am apparently not very polite in blog land. Maybe that's why I only have 32 followers, and my peeps have hundreds. Of course, I don't even blog every day, so my opinion might not count. Boy, this is long. sorry! :)
ReplyDeleteYay no diapers. :)
ReplyDeleteTo be honest I've never really thought about the comments thing. I didn't even know you could comment directly to someone via email!! I usually just comment on my own blog under the comments section and I'll comment if someone asks a question or wants to know something. If I see a comment from someone new I usually click on their profile and visit their blog and say Hi...other than that I don't know...but I'ma newbie to blogging.
xoxo
I try to respond to every comment I get, but sometimes that gets hard, especially as I try to balance family and life with the increasing amount of time I spend on my blog.
ReplyDeleteI go back and forth on method, too. Sometimes I will email, other times I will respond in my own comment section. I like to respond in the comment section if it's something I think other people will find value in, of course. One thing I worry about is the comment count. If I replied in the comments to every comment I get, my count would be artificially high and I don't want to give off the impression that I am doing that intentionally. Another blogger once suggested this as a technique to looking bigger than you are, and it left such a poor taste in my mouth that I make sure to limit the number of times I reply in the comment section.
Sounds like lots of fun :) Its good to get away from the computer sometimes...
ReplyDeleteOUT OF DIAPERS!!! Congratulations mama that's most awesome!!
ReplyDeleteI had been leaving comments on peoples blogs for almost a year before I got my first email response from a blogger so it's not something I was even aware that bloggers did so I never got in the habit of doing it - what I do instead is visit the "commentors" blog and leave a comment - it's the kind of quid pro quo I really enjoy!!!
I think commenting is a big reason why I became involved in blogging-- because it became a community rather than just strict navel gazing. I love it when readers write something thoughtful, encouraging, or even constructive criticism. I love it even more when commenting turns into a full dialogue and sometimes an email friendship of sorts.
ReplyDeleteHow are you liking The Help? It is one of my favorite books I've read this past year-- they're turning it into a movie, too!
i love the dragon swing!! those are both my favorite rides at Knotts too!
ReplyDeleteand I totally appreciate the email comments back.
I try to do the same and am bummed when there is no email attached. I feel the need to thank people for taking the time to read as well as post a comment!
sounds like your summer is of to a rocking start!
congrats on no diapers!!!
hello hon....ok you had a few things to think about there...soo...yes comments i think are worthy of *follow-up*- maybe it's manners i don't know? but its always nice to say hi back,....boys perhaps do need to be pushed outa nappies-diapers- my lovely boy at 2 was taken out of nappies by his *big* -all of 2 and 1/2 yrs -sister and we never looked back...& then they did the same thing to their littlest sis...i think you are wonderful to take a little hiatus from blogging to sew....i have made *bunting* all day today and feel VERY happy after a day at the sewing machine...how beautiful are your kids and i'm going to check out the other blog you write for now...wow....lovely to stop in and see you- i'm going back to add you to my side bar...and then sit down with the lovely husband for tea...have a lovely week...
ReplyDeletemelissa x
Enjoy your break away... sometimes it's so needed!
ReplyDeletejust found you via blessedlittlenest :)
ReplyDeletenow i feel like a stalker! (viewing someone's blog all in one sitting more or less makes me feel like a stalker)
do you ever feel that many ballet flats are too flimsy? i keep trying them on at places like target, gap, H&M, and they feel like they might fall off my foot, and the sole is just sooo thin! can you recommend a brand of ballet flat that has a more substantial feel, or should i just get over myself and buy some flats from target?
laylasolms@hotmail.com
I L-O-V-E the Dragon swing. Knotts is always fun! Taylors face is priceless in that pic!
ReplyDeleteOn the comment question...
I think it depends...I try to answer and find myself doing it through Twitter, Facebook or email. I never comment back on my actual comments because I don't think that people look back.
BUT...you know I am a BUSY girl. It gets hard enough JUST to post let alone respond or comment on other blogs, especially from my phone.
So long winded answer is...I LOVE comments but I am not offended and dont be offended when I/you don't hear back. :)
I don't have nearly the following you do, but I'm totally with you on comments. My only question is: If there's no email address attached, how do you respond? I've tried responding in the comments, but I'll be honest: I rarely go back to look at posts I've already commented on; what makes me think someone would come back and read mine? Anyway, I guess the point it, I cut bloggers slack when it comes to comments. For most of us, this is a hobby, and we're having fun with it and doing the best we can!
ReplyDelete